No need to juggle appointments. No running from place to place quietly melting down on your cell phone when you want to be comfortably wrapped in a robe sipping something sparkly. An entire budget that’s suddenly free as a bird flying on the hundred dollar bills you didn’t spend. The opportunity to do your own bridal beauty is a gift in itself. You can truly have a sense of control over your own day. And with the help of industry pros that are doling out tips they use on high-profile clients and red carpet celebs alike, you’re given a picture-window view of ways to upgrade your personal technique that can be useful in perpetuity. 

Below, our third volume in the At-Home Bridal Beauty Series: Nails…

Any New Yorker who’s strolled down Crosby Street and popped into PAINTBOX knows that a complimentary flute of sparkling prosecco upon arrival is just the beginning of their experiential perks. And while the cult-favorite nail studio, whose clients include the likes of Rihanna, Emma Roberts, Zosia Mamet and Eva Chen, is open and thriving, founder Eleanor Langston has created an on-demand experience available to more than just the east coast fashion set. PAINTBOX’s new polish line has become a key tool for brides staying safely at home with hopes of mastering a more-than-basic set of 10 digits. 

“Our polishes help you nail your look for your big day for a couple of reasons,” Langston explains. “First, our tapered, paddle-shaped fan brush hugs your cuticles for easy application. Second, because our color collection is super curated, you can trust that these shades flatter all skin tones and are the most popular out of the 150,000 manicures we’ve done at our studios.” And as a final flourish, she points to the reason soon-to-be-weds have a particular dedication to polished tips: “You can easily show off your ring with a touch of minimal nail art–think a simple glitter line, light brushwork, or an easy dot on each nail.” 

Below, Langston breaks down the shades, tools, and pro secrets necessary for their celeb-approved nail art, at home: 

The Modern Peach

If you want a full-coverage manicure that will make your ring pop try our new-for-SS20 Like Flora. The peachy pink shade flatters all skin tones and is one of our best-sellers. It’s an ultra-feminine, Hawaiian-esque hue, and the romantic apricot is especially dreamy for warmer months. The bombshell color was inspired by Honolulu in the ’70s. 

Pro tip: apply two thin coats and don’t worry if the first one is slightly streaky–the second will even it out. Don’t forget to cap the free edge by making sure the edge of the brush goes to the very end of your fingertip.

Walk the Line

One of the easiest (but most head-turning) nail art looks to master–try a glitter line up the center of your nail to wake up a neutral shade. We painted our holographic, champagne Like Magic glitter in a line up the center of our sandy beige Like Mystery color.  

Pro tip: All you need is a striper brush (like Orly’s $10 version), or you can even use the side of our polish brush for the same effect. If you want to up the ante, simply make a horizontal bisection on your nail with a clean up brush (like Olive & June’s $8 option) to add some flattering negative space at the cuticle. 

Organic Brushstroke 

Try a soft look that’s as effortless-looking as it is easy to achieve. Our creative team (led by our creative director Mabelyn Martin) swept models’ nails at the Ulla Johnson FW20 show with a soft brushstroke effect on negative space. The negative space looks like you have a work of art on your nails–with very minimal effort.

Pro tip: Simply swipe away the lacquer on the brush, then add back a tiny bit onto your brush, working the brush from the outside in. 

Hit the Matte

A simple way to change the personality of any polish–play with texture contrasts. Our Like Fog  top coat will add a cool, muted-and-hazy effect and transform the style of any color. 

Pro tip: You can either matte out the whole nail or go back in with our Like Glass shiny top coat with a moon for a patent-leather contrast that’s both uptown/downtown.

Go for the Glitter

In graphic nail art shapes, our disco-ball chrome Like Future or our penny-copper stunner Like Spark are sure to turn heads. Add swoops of negative space (either in an angular bisection or romantic French curve) to tone down the shine a bit. 

Bonus: The flecks of luminosity will highlight your ring effortlessly!